St. Louis Ethical Society Hosting Debate on Marijuana Tonight

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – You can hear the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana in a debate tonight at the Ethical Society of St. Louis.

Speaking in favor of legalization will be Show-Me Cannabis Executive Director John Payne.

“We’ve had a lot better success with legally regulating substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, than we have with prohibiting them so I think it’s time we put cannabis in the same category,” he argues.

Payne admits there are harms associated with cannabis but says they are no worse than those associated with tobacco or alcohol.

Debating against legalization will be the president of the Missouri Narcotics Officers Association, Jason Grellner.

“Those individuals who do find a way into harder drugs and into the disease of addiction admit openly that they started that disease with the use of marijuana,” Grellner says. “It opens the door, it’s risky behavior, it’s risk-taking behavior, and the problem is it starts with kids as young as eight to ten-years-old, when their brains aren’t fully formed.”

The debate begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The Ethical Society of St. Louis is located at 9001 Clayton Road.